Leg Brace for Broiler?

[RatCatRooster]

Hi everyone!

Calling on your wisdom once again.

We have a broiler rooster who has hurt his leg jumping down from our outdoor table (ahem) and also running around doing usual silly rooster things. We've had him in a (very) small pen to rest his leg and it is improving - however - once he's 100%, I know that 'boys will be boys' and he'll start running around and putting pressure on his dodgy joint once again. His brother chases him sometimes, but they miss each other when they're separated, so I'd like to put them back together if possible.

He's not for eating. We'd just like him to live out his relatively short life in comfort and happiness, and not restricted to a small pen.

Is there any kind of leg brace for adult birds that anyone here uses?

This is all based on the assumption that the sprain / strain is in his hock joint and not his thigh joint.

Thanks!

 

[katelk]

Is the leg issue due to his weight? There is nothing I know of for a hock joint brace. What does his joint do? (For example, I once had a chick whose hock bent backwards, making it impossible for her to walk)
I am certainly one who is guilty of turning my birds into pets and loving them way too much, but in reality, chickens do not miss each other and if they are living in pain or with a disability, they will be a target for other birds to torment. Sometimes slaughter is more than just a source of food, but also to prevent a low quality of life for the animals we love.
However, only you know the specific situation. Get creative! I made a leg brace for my chick who couldn't walk out of ace bandage and a hair tie. I thought she would have to be culled, because she couldn't even stand up, but today she is a year and a half old and you'd never know she ever had any issues. Trust yourself and do what you think is best.

 

[RatCatRooster]

Hey! Thanks for your reply. The funny thing is, the boy with the sore leg is waay smaller (weight wise) than his brother, who is having no joint issues whatsoever. I guess he's the lucky one who'll just drop dead from a heart problem without warning. The boy with the sore leg is really just walking tenderly on it - he was limping quite heavily, but it's gotten much better. I think I will build a side-by-side 'invalid' coop, with nice long runs, and put our two broilers and our other long-term sick bird (https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ster-sick-for-months-vet-unsure#post_13462121) in there. That way they will feel that they're together, and be able to forage around, but there's no risk of chasing and hurting each other, or jumping up on things. During the day, when the boy with the sore leg (Chong) is in his small day pen, his brother (Cheech) comes and sits beside him (outside the pen). It's very cute.

When they were brought to us, they'd had their wings clipped, and I wonder if this might have contributed to Chong hurting his leg flying down from the table.

I have some nice firm but soft packing foam (from a gift / display box) that I could use to make a little support brace for his hock. He will be outraged, I'm sure, but it may just give him that extra support. He attacked me yesterday for stopping him from eating the dog's dinner, hahaha. Never get between a broiler and food!

 

[katelk]

Haha well I am glad he is getting better! Good luck with him. Love the names lol